


Rot and the Catalyst

by drabblesinthemoonlight



Series: In The Woods Somewhere au [1]
Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Alternate Universe, Alternate Universe - Canon, BAMF Natasha Romanov, BAMF Tony Stark, Bucky might make a brief cameo, F/F, Female Tony Stark, In which Natasha was apart of the Avengers but the Avengers aren't Really the Avengers, More like a Black Ops Team, Natasha is a hermit in a forest, Natasha's jaded, Pre-Slash, Toni is as curious as an old crow, Toni is some forest spirit, in later updates i mean
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-20
Updated: 2018-12-20
Packaged: 2019-09-23 04:14:36
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 1
Words: 641
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17073269
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/drabblesinthemoonlight/pseuds/drabblesinthemoonlight
Summary: She rolled the groaning figure over. A woman, her eyes were shut tight in pain.“Ma’am?” Natasha tried, “Are you alright?”





	Rot and the Catalyst

**Author's Note:**

> I don't know if it really counts as graphic depictions of violence

The smell of wood rot was thick in the air. The atmosphere felt damp and heavy. So did Natasha’s skin, covered in spiderwebs of sweat as she trudged through the woods. She’d been walking for hours. She broke a branch in her way, she pushed her loose hair behind her ear.   
  
She paused when she felt eyes on her back.    
  
Another scream cut off as it rang from deeper within the forest. Natasha's search was renewed with vigour.     
  
She nearly tripped over a root but it didn’t matter, she’d reached the bog. Her boots sunk into the damp juniper moss. It squelched unpleasantly. Natasha wrinkled her nose at the sulphuric smell. Then her eyes caught on the algae infested waters.   
  
Something was half-submerged in the water. Its hair was mud covered and clumped. Raw whimpers could be heard from where it lay.  Natasha navigated the uneven terrain to get to it. Her arms were outstretched to keep her centre of balance.   
  
She pulled the figure from the muck. Yet, the body stayed sunken in the mud. Natasha pulled until with a pop it released whatever it had trapped. 

  
She rolled the groaning figure over. A woman, her eyes were shut tight in pain.    
  
“Ma’am?” Natasha tried, “Are you alright?”    
  
Natasha had no idea if the woman was okay, she had barely responded. The dirt obscured most of the woman’s face. Natasha couldn't tell if there were any head injuries. The woman's pant leg had been chewed and speckled with crimson, making the mud purple in the sunlight.   
  
Natasha didn’t have her phone on her. She’d come out on a whim, hearing a shrill scream from the forest. She did her best to check the woman for any ID, it was difficult with the way the muck coated everything.    
  
She started dragging the body, it was far too light to be healthy.   
  
~~   
  
Progress was slow going, Natasha couldn’t jostle her. Then everything went quiet.    
  
The chatter of animals, the call of birds, were gone. Natasha felt the hair raise on the back of her neck. She did her best to shield the woman from view, fighting the urge to run.   
  
She wasn’t going to be the hunted. She was going to protect.    
  
Her hand reached for the hunting knife she kept sheathed. Her eyes darted between the trunks of the trees and shrubs.    
  
Looking for anything out of the ordinary.    
  
She saw a dark form shifting in the shadows. It didn’t stay still long enough for her to focus her eyes on it. All she could catch at a glimpse were its pearly and jagged teeth.   
  
It charged it’s maw clenching around the arm she’d raised defensively. Teeth sunk into the meat of her forearm and the pain was debilitating.   
  
Natasha jerked, trying to shake its dark form off of her. Yet, it towered over her and stood its ground, grinding its teeth into what felt and sounded like bone.   
  
It's like it was trying to saw its way into her bone's marrow.      
  
There was a ringing in her ears. Natasha realized the sound was coming from her. She swung the blade into its head in a fit of desperation.    
  
The steel buried itself to its hilt, her hand felt the deceptively soft fur. However, the creature remained relentless in its attack.    
  
Suddenly, Natasha felt a weight at her back. Somebody screamed unintelligibly and the shadowy creature shrunk away.    
  
It whined like it was scared. Natasha felt all the blood from the wound flow as soon as the creature retreated. The pure shock of the sensation made her fall back.    
  
As she hit the ground, Natasha could see the woman she'd rescued. With her body was still mud congealed, the woman stood confident and ready to attack.   
  
Her blue eyes shone as she continued to chant.    
  
Natasha blacked out where she lay.   



End file.
